WOW! After a gruelling eleven hour flight, a mad dash on the London Underground with two half-ton bags (I kid you not!) and finally a fast train (thank goodness!) to Birmingham followed by a short drive in the car, I was home!  What an adventure! I’ve just spent the last week attending WPPI (Wedding & Portrait Photographers International, phew!) convention and trade show in Las Vegas!  Not a place I’m particularly fond of, especially the food, but who cares when there are over 12,000 photographers in town along with industry superstars like Jerry Ghionis, Matthew Jordan Smith, Yervant, Jim Garner, the list goes on!  I was blown away with what these guys are doing in the industry, they’re all at the top of their game and deservedly so!  One day B, one day! Close friend and mentor Scott Robert achieved a flurry of high scores in this year’s print competition and scooped the prestigious Kodak award at the closing awards ceremony.  A proud moment for Scott and for all of us who have been mentored by him.  I’m determned to enter next year and see what happens.

I was actually in two minds whether to attend WPPI this year but that would have been a massive error of judgement.  Last year was my first time to the conference and it inspired, motivated and energised me for the task in had (becoming a top photographer!).  This year’s WPPI did all of that and more.  Sometimes when you feel your losing direction you need something to snap you back into place and put you on the right track.  So thank you WPPI and all the great photographers I had a chance to hang out with, look forward to doing it all over again in 2010!

So I guess you’re wondering what the images above have to do with the covention? Nothing really.  I flew out to LA a few days prior to WPPI and drove down in convoy to Las Vegas for Scott’s three day Next Level workshop.  We were fortunate to spend a few hours at the Neon Boneyard a final resting place for many of Vegas’s classic signs from the main strip.  We could easily have spent a whole day there shooting as the photo oppotunites were endless.  Anyway these were my favourite.

Over the past week or so large parts of the UK ground to a halt as a result of the heaviest snowfall we’ve had for years!  Across the country scores of schools and businesses were forced to shut, the public transport system struggled to cope, even London, the nation’s capital was brought to a standstill.  Many people who attempted travel found themselves fighting a losing battle and were left stranded on route to their destinations.  The wiser amongst us stayed indoors and only ventured out to play in the snow.  My morning commute to work usually involves a 5-10 second walk across the hallway from my bedroom to my office so I avoided all the drama, lol!  I did however venture down to one of my local parks to take this snap.  There is a certain calmness and serenity about the scene which was in sharp contrast to all the chaos.  Like I said “I love me some snow”!

I’ll be right back…….